New traffic patterns downtown causing confusion

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) -- Changes in traffic patterns in Downtown Wilmington are designed to help improve the traffic flow, but they're causing some confusion for drivers.

Ann Street used to be one-way between 5th and 3rd Streets, but now drivers can go eastbound and westbound. Also, there are new four-way stop signs at Ann and 4th Streets and Ann and 7th Streets.

There are a few reasons for this. One is to create the Ann Street Bicycle Boulevard, which is part of the River to Sea Bikeway. The other is to help out congestion and traffic flow around St. Mary School.

"It was a little bit of a learning curve with the one-way to two-way conversion, but everybody's parking in the proper direction," Joshua Mello, Wilmington's Associate Transportation Planner, said. "Traffic circulation is actually improved, and two-way operation has slowed down traffic in the vicinity of the school."

The four-way stops on Ann Street at 4th and 7th Streets will become two-way stop signs in the coming weeks. The stop signs on Ann Street will be removed to improve the traffic flow for bikers using the Bicycle Boulevard.

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